Junior linebacker Jeremiah Kinsey lines up as the “will” linebacker in Hinsdale South’s defensive scheme, which is generally on the weak side of the field.

When the Hornets faced District 68 rival Hinsdale Central on Friday night, there was nothing weak about the game Kinsey played.

Hinsdale South lost 21-12, but Kinsey made his presence felt most of the night, recovering a fumble, pressuring the quarterback and adding a sack.

The Hornets (6-3) were trailing just 14-12 when Kinsey pulled down Red Devils quarterback Matt Rush for a 7-yard loss late in the third quarter.

“The ‘sam’ linebacker is on the strong side, so the ball is going away from me,” said Kinsey, who lives in Darien. “As the ‘will’ linebacker, I pretty much sit and watch for things on the back side. When the quarterback rolled out to my side, it was an opportunity to take him down for a sack. It was a big confidence booster for our team.”

In the second quarter, with the Hornets trailing 7-0, Kinsey and senior linebacker Milan Kaplarevic came up with a big play that led to the Hornets’ first score.

Kaplarevic forced a Red Devils fumble, and Kinsey pounced on the football. The turnover led to a 9-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Marquese Garrett, cutting the deficit to 7-6.

“If the defense makes a big play, it gives us a lot of confidence,” Kinsey said. “If we are not playing so good, or it is quiet, and then we get a big turnover, that can give us a lot of confidence.”

Kinsey has almost a full season of varsity experience under his belt, and is picking up his game as the postseason has arrived.

“He is coming on strong,” Hornets coach Mike Barry said. “He is a junior for us, so he has his learning moments.

“Athletically, he is very talented and gifted, so we expect the world from him. He has been our player of the week on defense a number of times.”

The 12th-seeded Hornets will open the 6A playoffs Saturday afternoon on the road against the defending 6A champions, fifth-seeded Prairie Ridge.

Competing against a bigger school, Hinsdale Central will play in the Class 8A playoffs, should give the Hornets a boost in the postseason.

“I thought our guys really showed grit they are going to need in the playoffs,” Barry said. “That was kind of our message … ‘Hey, you just went up against a really good 8A team, and hung there all the way to the end.’”